Michael De Cock (°1972) is a Belgian author, director and actor.
He studied languages and literature (U.A.) and drama at the Brussels Conservatory. During his drama studies he wrote the monologue Right in the middle of my fucking fruit diet. After his studies he was part of the DICK VAN LANDEGHEM TRIO. For the company DROOMEDARIS-REX he wrote the play Duizend Woorden (A Thousand Words).
He has been an integral part of Publiekstheater/Arca since its inception, writing and directing Firenzee (2001) and Bash (2002). He wrote the play Wormgat (Wormhole), based on André Baillon's Le Perce-oreille du Luxembourg (directed by Domien Vandermeiren). For this double project, he directed Eva and Kiki by the same playwright. He recently directed Het Land van Martin Crimp for 't Arsenaal in Mechelen. Saw it on television/DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, a play based on interviews with refugees, will premiere in January 2004.
As an actor he has taken part in several Flemish productions: Thuis, Flikken, Sedes en Belli, ...
In March 2004, Michael published two books: Op een onzeker uur (Manteau), a book about his conversations with refugees, and Tiet, Ham en Flurk (Standaard Uitgeverij), a children's book. Hoe mensen sterven (Manteau) was published in 2006.
Michaël De Cock became director of the theatre company 't Arsenaal in Mechelen in 2006. In 2015, he won a Boekenleeuw for Veldslag om een hart.
In September 2015, he succeeded Jan Goossens as director of the Koninklijke Vlaamse Schouwburg in Brussels. Following the 2015 edition, he also became chairman of the MOOOV film festival.
In 2016, he played a leading role in the drama series De 16.
20026: Michael De Cock is stepping down as the artistic director of the KVS theatre in Brussels, to take up a position at the Théâtre de Liège.
Foto: © Danny Willems
